


The Lupins' Tale

by ArwenUndomiel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Deathly Hallows AU, F/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-13
Updated: 2013-08-28
Packaged: 2017-12-23 07:50:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwenUndomiel/pseuds/ArwenUndomiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While the Order of the Phoenix gathered the troops at the gates of Hogwarts School, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks had a rather different mission: save their son from the monster that had tormented his father from the mere age of four. RLNT Live, AU fic. Warning: Character death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_AN: And we're back. Shock-horror. Another collaboration between me and Teddy R. Lupin from fanfic.net. Merlin I love that kid. Warning, it gets rather dark._

**Chapter 1**

 

Remus Lupin stared at the waning moon, his fingers stroking absentmindedly over his infant son's forehead, brushing lightly through the ever-changing colour of his hair. His lips curled upwards into a small smile, leaning down to press his lips to the boy's head. Before Teddy, the aged werewolf had never thought himself good enough for anything - and certainly not good enough to be a father. But the truth was, he was in awe of this little life he held in his arms. His child. Teddy was so innocent, so trusting. No more than a month old, Remus reminded himself, their son relied on he and Nymphadora for everything. Sighing, he laid the child back in his cot, quietly closing the door for the night.

 

Turning, he met his wife's gaze. He didn't want to leave Teddy alone - he couldn't help it, nothing was safe. They had wards around the house, but wards could always be broken. "We should get to bed," he murmured quietly, offering Dora his hand. And then the next day, they would do it all over again.

 

Except they didn't. For, when Tonks went to check on their son around dawn, surprised he hadn't woken her crying to be fed, she found the cradle empty. She wasn't overly concerned, as she thought that Remus may have picked him up during the night and Teddy was asleep with him.

 

She headed back to the bedroom to check. Remus didn't have him. She felt the blood drain from her face. Tonks shook her husband awake, cheeks ashen with fear. Where was their baby boy?

 

Remus had been snoozing peacefully, for once - when he was sharply awoken at the crack of dawn. He gazed at his wife confusedly, for a whole minute, until he realised that both her hair and face had turned to violent shades of grey. And that if nothing else proved to him that something had indeed gone wrong - what was it? Had Harry been sighted, had Harry been killed? He sat up like a shot, eyes wild, borderline feral as amber orbs met grey. "What is it?"

 

"Teddy," Tonks whispered the name between lips gone numb with terror. Please, dear Merlin let Remus have him. Please. Where was their son!? Why would anyone take a _baby_? So, her Aunt had issued some threats against her "half-breed shape-shifting spawn" but she hasn't thought. Oh Merlin... She swayed on the spot. The wards! What had happened to the wards?

 

At his son's name, Remus went ghostly pale. "No," he whispered, his eyes wide, his heartbeat doubling in speed. There were so many people after their family - Voldemort for the Order, Bellatrix for her blood-traitor relatives - but the wards, what had happened, for Teddy to have been stolen right from under their noses? And if they had been just as in danger as their son, why had they been left untouched? He pulled the duvet back and stumbled across the room, wand out as he burst down the hall, reaching Teddy's room in record time. It was just as Nymphadora had said. Cot empty, but otherwise the room appeared untouched. He punched the wall, narrowing his eyes, letting out an almost feral growl. Whoever had taken their son...was going to wish they'd never laid a hand on him. That was when he caught a familiar scent. It was close enough to the full moon that he would recognise the foul stench anywhere...even if it was too faint for his wife to notice. "No!" he shouted, before falling to his knees, his head bowed. " _No_..."

 

Tonks followed her husband back down the hallway, hoping against hope that this was a bad dream. She wasn't awake yet. She _couldn't_ be. Her baby boy wasn't missing... he hadn't been snatched away from her, from them... Remus' shout of denial jerked her out of her stupor and she swung around to stare at him. What had he... sensed? "Who?" she choked out, knowing, without knowing how she did, that he had immediately detected who had taken their son.

 

Remus clenched a fist, his eyebrows narrowing in anger. He was so angry, he couldn't - no, that was it. He had stopped making sense of _anything_ from the moment he'd caught that wretched scent on Teddy's cot. The same smell as on that night, oh so long ago...when his life changed forever. The man that wasn't a man - the one that transformed before him, biting into his shoulder and changing him into someone that would be feared and not understood. Turned him into a _werewolf_. And now, that was the same fate that awaited his son. As he stood, he gritted his teeth, his normally warm amber eyes cold and unforgiving. "Greyback, that bastard," he growled out. This time, he was coming for blood.

 

She would never tell him this ever, but in those few seconds before he revealed the name of their son's abductor, her husband's cold gaze unnerved her. It was when that bastard's name, the one that had caused her husband so much pain and grief over the years. And her own anger rose to match and possibly surpass his, after all, it had been she who had carried the babe under her heart for those long, long months, through fear, through betrayal, through pain. She who had cradled him in her arms at mere minutes old and silently promised to never let anything happen to him... It was _Tonks_ who had not awoken when he was stolen... She who had not been quick enough... She hadn't even been able to identify whom had taken her baby. "I will make him pay," she whispered, voice low with evil intent. After all, she was half a Black. And _nobody_ did insane, evil protectiveness (twisted protectiveness sometimes sure but protectiveness non-the-less) better than a Black. Greyback was going to regret touching a hair on her baby's head when she was done with him.

 

He approached his grief-stricken wife, the coldness in his eyes softening only slightly as he met her gaze. He didn't want to scare her. But this was the man - no, this was the _monster_ \- who had stolen his entire world out from under him and thrust him once again into the darkness that surely he deserved for something he'd done in his long life. First he'd been bitten, to pay for his father's sins. And then he was left to watch as his friends destroyed each other from the inside out, Sirius wrongly imprisoned and Peter living peacefully while the truest man suffered day after day. And Remus, well - he had dragged himself to an abandoned cottage on the outskirts of Yorkshire and remained there until Albus Dumbledore had dragged his sorry arse out of his pathetic life and given him a chance. By the end of that year, his luck had run out, and he was forced to retreat once again. But this time, he had a chance for happiness, he had been cocky, and he had been _so sure_ that no one could take this away from him. He should have known better, he should've smelled it. But for once he had ignored his instincts, and now, his infant son was paying the price. And Remus swore to himself right then that no matter what his fate may be, Teddy would _not_ carry his curse. He would not be responsible for ruining a child's life - he would _not_ be. The boy would grow to be ashamed of him, and Remus would sink further into his guilt - he hadn't been clever enough, fast enough, or brave enough to prevent his son from suffering the fate of the full moon. "No, love," he murmured to his wife, pressing his lips to her forehead as he drew his wand. "No. Fenrir Greyback has tormented me since I was a child. It is _I_ who will make him pay."

 

Tonks bared her teeth in a dark, vicious grin. "Finder's keeper's love." If he was very lucky, she might save him a piece. The world would learn, anyone that touched her son was going to be torn to shreds. Her mother had been a _Black_ for Merlin's sake. It was time for the other side to determine just how "wishy-washy" these particular Order members were. She would give them _hell_ and _enjoy_ it. They were about to learn just how much of grievous mistake they had made.

 

At that, Remus was hesitant. The last thing he wanted was for his wife to bear his curse just as surely as his son would. But at least he knew that the wards around their home had been broken, somehow, and that if anything, she would be much safer with him, hunting for the monster who had ripped apart their family, rather than staying here and being the _hunted_. His lips quirked into a wry smile as he offered her his hand, a symbol that they were indeed in this together. That he'd left her once - he'd abandoned her and their son once, and he had absolutely no intention of doing it again. He had almost given up everything that meant anything to him, and his days of self-sabotaging were over. He didn't know where Greyback would have gone, he didn't know if his son would survive the night. But he wasn't going to wait, and he certainly wasn't going to stop for breath until their child was safely in his arms. "Come on then," he growled. "I'm not afraid to make him suffer. I warned him that one day he would go too far. That day is today, Dora."

 

Slim fingers twined around Remus' and she squeezed his hand in acknowledgement. "Good. Suffering. I like suffering." Pain. She wanted the monster that had taken her son to feel some _fraction_ of the pain he had caused them both. She wanted it to _last_ and she wanted it to be lingering. Hmmm, lingering. Blood. Plenty of blood and screaming. Greyback was going to regret taking Teddy with every fibre in his body and long for death before she was through with him. He was going to _beg_ for her to kill him. If she was feeling merciful (a highly unlikely scenario) she might kill him quickly. She was leaning more towards slow, lingering, painful bloody death though. Maybe she could see how long she could keep him on the brink of dying... A slow, evil smirk spread across her face and in that moment it was startlingly easy to see the family resemblance between her and her "dear Auntie Bella".

 

Remus would never admit this to his wife, of course, but the moment he caught a glance of the evil smirk on her face, shaded by the darkness of Teddy's bedroom, he thought she bore a striking resemblance to the Aunt she so hated, the Aunt who had sworn to kill her before this war was over. The Aunt who had killed his last, best friend. He squeezed her hand in return and retreated from the room, heading down the hallway and down the stairs, out the door. The wards had long since been broken, and while he had half a mind to check on Andromeda, he sensed that the danger had passed and Greyback had no quarrel with the Blacks. He had come for Remus, he had come for Teddy. He had come for the Lupins - at their last meeting, the feral wolf had _warned_ him that he was going to regret choosing 'the wrong side.' And that if he had any say in the matter, Remus would have died at his hands long ago to spare him this insolence. Now he was sure that Greyback's mode of getting back at him was very much the same as it had been all those years ago...biting the small child of the man who had wronged him. Except Greyback had messed with the wrong family. They may have morals, but code could be broken, and there was _not_ a single thing Remus wouldn't do to have his infant son back in his arms. He wanted to make the wolf pay, he wanted the monster destroyed. And he would not leave until Greyback's bloodied corpse lay across the rocks of whatever cave he'd found shelter in this time. "Where do you want to start?" he asked Nymphadora, eyes searching her revenge-driven face. But before she could answer, he closed his eyes over and opened the rest of his senses. He followed the scent of rotten meat and a thousand maimed corpses. He couldn't have gotten far. Not yet.

 

Instead of attempting to answer her husband's question, Tonks waited as he closed his eyes and stilled and _sniffed_. What could he smell, she wondered. Could he follow the murderous, feral being that had taken their baby? A shiver of emotion whispered through her and she steeled her heart. She could break down when she had their baby boy back. The sooner she was holding that small, soft body in her arms the better. Which way did they need to go?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So, pretty much this entire fic was written whilst the both of us were listening to "Mordred's Lullaby" by Heather Dale on repeat for five days. You should check it out. It's an awesome song!

**Chapter 2**

 

Greyback couldn't Apparate, not _really_. Not if he wanted to ensure Teddy's survival, and while he was sure that a werewolf wouldn't want to spoil his prize, he knew that the monster who stole his son couldn't have got far. He couldn't be more than hours ahead of them - mere hours since they had put their child to bed, not knowing that his life may be changed forever before he awoke. Remus gritted his teeth and let his nose guide him, the scent of baby powder mixed with the odour of dried blood and rotten corpses. He opened his eyes and closed his grip around Nymphadora's hand - he needed her support more than anything, and it was almost as if he didn't realise that it was also _her_ son who had been stolen from them, that she was just as angry and wanted Greyback's hide maybe even more than he did. A mother's love was not to be underestimated - Remus knew that from experience, if Harry was any indication at all. So he closed his eyes over yet again and prayed that he was doing what was best for his son. He knew very well it could be a trap, that he and Nymphadora may die at the hands of the Death Eaters - Voldemort himself, even. But if it meant that their son was able to grow up normal and without fear, an equal in Wizarding society, then Remus would die a hundred times over. "This way," he muttered, tugging on her hand as he pulled her into the seemingly empty field beside them. But before continuing, he turned and pressed his lips to his wife's. "We _will_ find him. I promise."

 

Tonks kissed him back, fiercely, fingers twined in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging on it almost too hard. They _were_ going to find their son, alive and unhurt and make the monster that had dared to touch him pay for thinking he could mess with Theodore Remus Lupin and get away with it. Greyback was going to find out just _how_ vengeful parents could be when their child was threatened. "I know we will," she whispered back, breaking away from him, eyes glinting in the slowly brightening dawn light. "Let's go make that bastard pay." Her smile was vicious, predatory as she fingered the wand she had shoved in her back pocket. "Lead on love." Find their son, bring him home... She almost didn't care that it was probably a trap. Although, in the frame of mind she was currently in, she would welcome the chance to take out more of You-Know-Who's evil henchmen. Just _let_ them _try_ to stop them.

 

Remus responded to the kiss, pushing his entire self into the embrace. He needed this - they _both_ needed this. They needed to know that they were there for each other - that she had his back, and vice versa. He inhaled deeply, his eyes falling shut as his mouth fought hers for dominance. His fingers trailed shakily through her short hair, and that was when the werewolf realised he was trembling. With anger or with fear, he wasn't quite sure. Remus was sure that he wasn't afraid of Greyback, and he most certainly wasn't afraid to die. But he feared for Teddy - he feared for his innocent baby son who would be dealt out the worst curse a man could carry if they failed to find him. Which is why, as he had insisted, they _wouldn't_ fail. They would find him, and he would remain their happy baby, never to lose his innocence until adulthood fell. As he pulled away, he rested his forehead on hers, taking deep, shaky breaths as he did. He nodded to himself, raising his nose to the air as he followed the scent of the monster who had hunted him all his life. He placed his wand flat in the middle of his hand and murmured, "Point me," until it stopped. He gestured the opposite way that the wand was pointing. As they walked - mostly in silence, Remus finally turned to his wife. "He won't be alone, you know."

 

Tonks followed his lead in silence, mentally going over every spell, curse and hex she knew that could cause pain. She planned to use all of them. Repeatedly. And she would enjoy it. "I know," she murmured in response to Remus. Of course Teddy wouldn't be alone. They were coming for him, to take him home and teach his abductor a lesson that he would never forget. For as long as the feral werewolf lived. However short a time that would turn out to be.

 

They walked for hours - Remus had honestly lost track of time - and he could feel his legs growing weary. But all that was forgotten when he caught a spark of light in the distance. He halted, grasping Nymphadora's wrist tightly as he leaned in, a grim smile on his face. "There," he murmured, pointing to the spark of light that must've been from a campsite. "He's there." He wasn't quite sure who _he_ was anymore, if he was honest...was 'he' Greyback, the monster he wanted revenge upon, or was 'he' Teddy, their innocent baby boy? Either way, he figured it didn't really matter. Within the hour, Fenrir Greyback would be dead and Theodore Remus Lupin would be back in their arms. Yet he hesitated. This was more dangerous than he had given thought to before, and it was very unlikely that Greyback was alone. He knew that Voldemort would not have sent him - therefore, no Death Eaters. This was his own mission. But there could very easily be werewolves, ones that had met him during his year underground and wanted revenge on him for spying, and pretending to be one of them. Not fully a wizard, not fully a werewolf. Perhaps that was his curse. He crept closer and didn't once let go of his wife's hand. He was not going to lose her tonight. "You ready?"

 

"Ready." Tonks affirmed, voice soft, loud enough to carry to Remus' ears but go no further. You never knew who could be listening and they didn't want to let their enemies know that they were there. If the werewolf heard them coming he might run. And Tonks didn't want that. She wanted to end it.

 

Her wand was in her hand, and she didn't remember drawing it. The weight was comforting, something familiar amidst everything that had gone wrong that night. She knew it would aid her to get her son back. The wand chose the wizard, that's what everyone always said, right? They were in-tune, one unit. Whatever she wanted to achieve, based on the limits of her strength, her wand would help. She could feel it vibrating gently in her hand, her towering fury being transferred to that slim bit of wood and she knew, without knowing how she knew, that the wand would do everything it could to rend and tear, to shred to pieces the "man" who had dared to take her baby boy.

 

And so in silence, drawing his only comfort from the tight grip of Nymphadora's hand in his, his other hand holding his wand as if it was his lifeline. Which, in this case, it most certainly was. His wife was the protector of his heart, but his wand protected both their lives and would ensure that they would survive to the end of the night and hold their son in their arms again. Not to mention that his wife was an incredibly well-trained Auror - and now, a frantic mother. He wondered if it was true, that a mother's love was strong enough to do anything. It certainly had been for Lily and Harry. Remus didn't doubt that a mother's love would work its magic tonight. It would be Greyback's ultimate downfall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: And so we have come, as we inevitably must, to the end. We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we did writing it. Read on my ducks and rejoice!

**Chapter 3**

As they crept closer to the camp, Remus was hit with a sudden thought, and his heart began to sink to his stomach. Fenrir Greyback would surely be able to _smell_ him. As a feral wolf, he was even more in tune with his senses than Remus himself was. He would know that they were approaching. He pulled Nymphadora to him and whispered into her ear. "We have to move. _Now_. He'll be able to smell me if we take this any slower." And so he silently surveyed the scene, wrinkling his nose at the smell of a thousand rotting corpses that came simply from the wolf's clothing. And lying on a tree stump was their son - still fast asleep, not a care in the world. Biting his lip, he looked over at his wife, releasing her hand. Her move.

 

Every _fibre_ in her body screamed at her to run to her baby, to pick him up and cradle him close. Her mind, fortunately, over-ruled her heart. This entire set-up screamed "trap". Where were the guards? Where was _Greyback_? Fetid breath brushing across the back of her neck answered that question and the young mother spun around, wand flying into a guard position as she came face-to-face with the monster that had dared to touch her little boy. Thank Merlin for her training. Anyone else might have frozen, but she had thrown a curse, what it was, she couldn't tell you, even before her wand was fully into position. Whatever it was, hurled the werewolf across the clearing and the half-man slammed into a tree, hard enough to shake leaves from the top branches.

 

It was too late by the time he realised that Greyback had been behind them the entire time. He'd heard and smelt the breath brush right by his ear, but he'd been far too focused on his baby son...lying there, ever the innocent one. Still sleeping as heavily as Remus himself. Even snoring softly. He'd almost chuckled, but thank Merlin for Nymphadora's Auror instincts, which had caught Greyback off-guard. The feral man flew headfirst into a tree, and Remus instantly made for him, wand pointed directly at his chest. "This is the last straw," he growled out, his eyes narrowed. "Years have you hunted me. Years have you _tormented_ me. But you made the mistake of coming after my son. And you are going to pay _dearly_ for your misjudgement."

 

Greyback looked up at him as if it took great effort - which it probably did, blimey, Dora's curse certainly had affected him. "I told you all those years ago, Remus. You will _lose_. Your people. You play by the rules. You-Know-Who has no rules."

 

And at that, Remus gripped Greyback's filthy robes, pinning him against the wall. "I stopped playing by the rules the moment I saw my child missing from his room. Do not doubt what I am capable of doing." He backed up, seeing a hint of fear in the dark eyes of the monster he hated. He took several more steps back, but at the last minute, whirled around, and roared the first curse that came to his mind - the first thing that could make him truly suffer. "SECTUMSEMPRA!"

 

Teddy awoke at the shout and started screaming. Tonks ached to run to him but other werewolves had appeared and she found herself fighting for her life, for Remus' life and for her baby. She hurled curses, the flashes of multi-coloured light whizzing back and forth across the clearing, some coming perilously close to her screaming baby son. Slowly, so very slowly, the wave upon wave of feral half-people slowed to a trickle, the ground littered with groaning bodies, the new arrivals forced to climb over their injured comrades to get to her. The last one fell to her wand and she paused for breath, panting harshly. She had never fought so hard in her life. Or known she could. Her wand had seemed to almost act of its own accord, seeking out the threats and dispatching them without her conscious effort. Looking around the dark clearing, she found that the number of werewolves was a lot fewer than it had seemed in the murky, shifting half-light of before.

 

A scratching sound behind her warned her just in time and she spun to the side, a nasty purplish light brushing past her side. Tonks neutralised the threat with a haphazardly aimed "Stupefy!" and then doubled over in pain. It felt like her side was on fire. Examining the wound with the light of her wand, she found her robes eaten through, as if by acid, and a spreading red stain soaking the surrounding cloth. "Bugger," she whispered before her head jerked up at a hoarse scream, quickly bitten off. Remus! She'd completely forgotten about Remus! Taking a step forward her opposite leg buckled and she fell heavily, throwing her hands out in front of her to slow her fall. Darkness rose like a wave and enveloped her before she hit the ground.

 

In the back of his mind, Remus heard the wail of his awoken son, but he was seeing red. He had almost forgotten that the reason he was here, the reason Greyback was in front of him, deep gashes in his chest, was because Teddy had been stolen from him and Nymphadora. That didn't matter. He had his worst enemy on the ground in front of him, and _finally_ , there was nothing to stop him from ending him. After all the years he'd been hunted and searched for - after all the times Fenrir had nearly _begged_ him to abandon school, to abandon _Dumbledore_ and join his kind... He had, of course, refused. The elder werewolf had eventually grown more vengeful against _Remus_ , and swore that one day he would see sense. He'd been proved wrong. He smiled grimly at the bleeding monster. There wasn't enough of a man left in him for him to be human. He'd lost that long ago. "Do you see, now, _who_ was mistaken?" asked Remus, his voice soft, almost talking to a child who deserved a spanking. The quietest voice ever, but he didn't need to raise it at all. He flicked his wand, and another gash opened up in Greyback's side, and then another on his arm...then one on his thigh, each accompanied by a low groan and a muffled cry of pain. "You...will...suffer for this."

 

As he stepped back, breathing heavily (it seemed that his anger had exhausted him more than he thought possible), he turned his head to see...well, to see _nothing_. And that worried him. Scowling, he turned to the wolf, his expression dark. "I don't think you're moving anywhere, are you?" But before he had been able to turn fully, Fenrir Greyback had lunged at him with great effort, knocking them both over. Remus's head hit the ground and he hissed in pain before realising that he'd dropped his wand. Yellow teeth and putrid breath were above him, and there was nothing he could do... And with one final surge of strength, as the wolf leaned in for the kill, he was able to grab his wand and nonverbally slit the throat of the monster above him. Blood poured from the wound, and Remus was barely able to see the surprised look on Greyback's face before his jumper was splattered with his enemy's blood. And just like that...it was over. With a disgusted - yet relieved - look on his face, he shoved the limp body off of him and gradually stood.

 

That was when he realised... " _Dora_!" And when he got no response from his wife, still hearing his child whimpering in the darkness, he feared the worst. Gripping his wand, he muttered... " _Lumos_!" And not ten metres away lay his wife. His...motionless...wife. "No," he whispered, stepping beside her and kneeling at her side. He pressed his wand to her temple, and whispered, " _Rennervate_."

 

The fallen girl groaned and her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she heard was her son screaming and next she saw her husband's worried face hovering over her. "Wot-cher," she whispered, voice cracking in the middle of the word. Merlin her side hurt. More than hurt, it was burning. She could barely think through the pain. "Ted?" Was her baby alright? Why was he still crying? What had happened? Gasping, she attempted to sit up and moaned as the world spun and her side _shrieked_ in protest. Sitting up was not a good idea apparently.

 

"Dora," he breathed in relief, as his wife's eyes opened about halfway. He brushed grimy hair from her forehead and sighed, offering her a smile. He was sure his own face was dirty, not to mention the blood that was currently starting to dry on his jumper. He grimaced. Molly Weasley wouldn't be too pleased to learn what had become of it. "It's - " But she was obviously still in pain, and Remus frowned, his wand illuminating once again. That was when he spotted the acid-like marks in her side, her blood still slightly bubbling. Remus's fist clenched, but what good would getting angry enough do? He touched the wound lightly with his wand, whispering the healing spell that he knew the best. " _Vulnera Sanentur_..." He waved his wand over the injury, watching it clear. Looking back to his wife's face, he grinned. He was... _happy_. He was honest-to-Merlin happy. "It's over," he murmured to her. Finally. "Let's get our son."

 

With Remus' help she managed to get to her feet and leant heavily on his arm to keep her balance. She didn't care about her husband's blood-stained state, she was too focused on her baby's quiet wails. Her knee still hurt but that would mend on its own. She hobbled over to their son and scooped him up, awkwardly in one arm. "Shh, Mama's got you little man," she whispered, bouncing him gently. Teddy's cries stopped almost instantly as he recognised his mother's voice and scent. The baby burrowed his face into Tonks' shoulder and her legs almost went out from under her again, this time in relief. Tears trailed down her cheeks, cutting clean trails through the ground in dirt. They had him back. He was safe and unharmed and they were going to take him home.

 

Slowly, he helped Dora to stand, and for now, the danger had passed. And he couldn't be more relieved. One thing left to do. Their infant son was still wailing, and they slowly but surely made their way over to him. Nymphadora reached Teddy first and pulled the baby into her arms, almost falling over in the process. Remus caught up with her and held her up from behind, though he couldn't have been more relieved. Their son was unharmed, un-cursed. Still as happy as ever, content to be in his mother's arms. He reached over and stroked Teddy's soft cheek with a gentle finger, and relaxed.

 

There was still a war going on, there were Death Eaters everywhere and the Order of the Phoenix had scattered. It was highly unlikely that this was going to be the last attempt on their lives, and they didn't even know if they were going to survive to see the end of the week. It was impossible to know at this point.

 

Or, at least, so he thought. Watching as the sun began to rise, streaks of pink and orange lighting up the sky, not much further North, another battle was about to come to an end.

 

**The End**


End file.
